If you have been newly diagnosed with diabetes you are probably wondering, “What is the medical treatment for diabetes?” You should know that the treatments for diabetes vary depending on the type and severity. There are two main types of diabetes mellitus. These include type I and type II diabetes.
Type I diabetes typically requires insulin injections or an insulin pump to supply the body with the insulin hormone. Type I diabetes used to be known as insulin dependent or juvenile onset diabetes. Adults do occasionally get diagnosed with type I diabetes, however, it is most common in children and youth. Type I diabetes occurs when the pancreas, the organ that produces insulin, does not produce enough insulin for use by the body. Insulin is a hormone that assists the body in absorbing sugars.
Type II diabetes, previously referred to as insulin resistant or adult onset, occurs when the body is unable to absorb insulin properly. In this case, the body typically produces enough insulin, but the body cannot absorb it. Thus, the sugar is not getting absorbed properly either.
If you are wondering, okay, so what is the treatment for diabetes, here are the answers.
Medical Treatments for Type I Diabetes
Type I diabetes often requires insulin injections up to several times per day. Typically, parents of children with type I diabetes are taught to administer the insulin injections. In older youth and adults, it is normal for them to be taught to give themselves the injections.
With type I diabetes, it is necessary to combine lifestyle changes with insulin injections to treat the condition. Some people opt to get an insulin pump so that they do not have to give themselves injections.
People with type I diabetes also need to check and keep a log of their blood sugar levels, usually several times per day. This can be done at home with a blood glucose monitor and testing strips. This equipment can typically be obtained at the pharmacy with a prescription from the physician.
People with both types of diabetes also need to follow a diabetic diet, low in simple sugars and a little bit higher in proteins. Often times, your doctor will request that you keep a food journal and document everything you eat and drink along with the blood sugar log.
Treatment for Type II Diabetes
Depending on the severity of the type II diabetes, this can sometimes be treated with lifestyle changes alone. These changes include a healthy diabetic diet and regular exercise. If you suffer from being overweight or obese, it is highly recommended that you loose the extra weight. This alone, can solve the problem sometimes.
As stated above, with type II diabetes, you will most likely need to monitor your blood sugar and keep a food journal, at least initially.
Your physician may also prescribe an oral medication to help your body properly absorb and utilize the insulin it manufactures. The use of medications may decrease as you make lifestyle changes. If you suffer from high blood pressure or high cholesterol, it is also important to get this under control. These do affect type II diabetes, as well.
If you were wondering, what is the medical treatment for diabetes, it is important to remember to take good care of yourself and follow the action plan your physician has put in place for you. With the advancements in medical technology, knowledge of diabetes, and medications, it is possible to live a wonderful life with diabetes.
